


Comfort.

by Darth_Rainbow_Queen_Of_Coconuts



Series: I-LAND NONSENSE [1]
Category: I-LAND (Korea TV), 아이랜드 | I-Land
Genre: Can you tell I have a Niki bias?, Do I have enough tags?, Gen, I don't know man, I was sleep deprived, It's just a friendship fic, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:48:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25830829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darth_Rainbow_Queen_Of_Coconuts/pseuds/Darth_Rainbow_Queen_Of_Coconuts
Summary: comfort/ˈkʌmfət/noun1.a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.2.the easing or alleviation of a person's feelings of grief or distress.
Relationships: Jay Park & Nishimura Riki | Ni-Ki
Series: I-LAND NONSENSE [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1876765
Comments: 16
Kudos: 63





	Comfort.

**Author's Note:**

> Tbh, I just kept thinking about that shot of Jay literally crying because Niki didn't make it back into I-LAND with him and I just head cannoned how their friendship started my guy. This was done heavily sleep deprived so mianhe for the possible mistakes.

The first time Niki cries while in the Ground, nobody really knows what to do. Because Niki doesn't really cry. Niki is their harsh leader, who cares about every single detail and has no patience when it comes to explaining what's obvious to him. They can all tell, when he steps out with his chin trembling and his hood up, that he's going to cry. But what were they supposed to do?

Hanbin is the first to move, standing between other trainees and the door. So that nobody does anything irrational like awkwardly walking out to ask if he's okay. They need a proper plan. Niki is their leader. Their best chance at producing a solid performance. Well, there's Jay too. Obviously. But Jay is worried and tired, like the rest of them. And Niki is the one leading repetitions so they don't fall behind on schedule. So really, they need him. Thing is... How do you tell that to a kid?

Because yes, much like Daniel, Niki is really just a kid. Their dongsaeng. To almost all of them. And yet, they put so much pressure on his two shoulders. It's a weird realization, that their prodigy coach, is just a kid. One that apparently needs comfort at that.

They all admire him very much. Respect his talent too. But that's not what Niki needs to hear right now, is it? For someone to remind him that they all look up to him, that they all have expectations and hopes. He knows. And they know he knows. It's probably a part of why he's crying out all on his own right now.

Just then, Jay, Daniel and Jake return from their break, matching frown etching themselves on the males' features. "Did something happen?" Daniel inquires, motherly instincts instantly kicking in.

"Whose in time out?" Jake jokes, noticing that most of the group is standing near Hanbin whose blocking the door.

"Niki's crying." Comes Kyungmin's voice, head hanging low as he worriedly fiddles with his fingers. Instantaneously do features shift. Jake, seems genuinely taken aback, eyes widening and lips slightly parted. Daniel's brows further furrows, disbelief filling his gaze with a certain gravity. He'd sensed earlier that there was friction between Niki and the group, even tried to defuse the tension but he certainly hadn't expected his youngest hyung to cry.

"Yeah, I think the kid's struggling with all the pressure." Jimin adds on.

"We're all tired and we know we're behind schedule but I think he needs a break more than us." Sungchul points out before pressing his lips together.

"I don't think bawling your eyes out count as a break." Nicholas argues, his tone carefully neutral but his gaze betraying a certain worry for his friend.

Jaeho sighs. "We just can't decide what to do about it."

Jay inhales deeply, sliding up his glasses to tuck them in his air, the male rubbed at his tired eyes for about the third time in the same evening.

"Why did nobody go out to just offer a hug?" Jake asks, brows creasing. "Comfort doesn't necessarily need the right speech."

"We just don't want to do or say anything wrong." Youngbin explains, rubbing the back of his head. "He's a bit... On edge right now."

Daniel narrows his eyes, zeroing on the door past Hanbin. He marches to the other male, and while it's true that he is the maknae, he's also the tallest right now. "Let me go." He asks, so gently that were it not for his size, it wouldn't sound demanding whatsoever.

"Don't." Jay interrupts. He runs his fingers through his hair, composing himself. "All of you should just start packing." He resolutely speaks. "We should wrap up for the night. This isn't going anywhere. Let's just meet up tomorrow refreshed, bright and early." His voice carries, loud and demanding enough to earn nods of approvals and silence possible disagreements. The trainees start to move away from the door, all going to retrieve the little belongings allowed in ground. Hanbin, like a loyal friend, is the last to move, after a determined nod from Jay. The appointed leader finally opens the door and steps out.

Niki's still there, standing on his own, tears pearling at the corners of his eyes and staining the slippers he'd focused his gaze on. He doesn't look up when someone approaches him. Barely flinches when a hand gently lands atop of his head. "You're doing good, you know that, right?"

No. No, Niki really doesn't. Nobody really bothers to tell him that sort of stuffs. He mostly does it for others. More than good just is the norm others have for him. And he is still reeling from that elimination for leading the team wrong. "I'm making a mess." He argues.

"You're making an omelet." Jay shoots back. "Eggs get broken in the process. But it's the result that matters." Finally, Niki meets his gaze and the older male offers a sympathetic smile. "Kid, you're doing everything you can for the team. And they all know that in there. Even though your ways might seem a little abrasive, they realize that you want them to do good. Because you're an overachieving perfectionist." That particular remark earns Jay a wet chuckle.

"I don't know how to lead." Niki still feels compelled to point out.

"But you are already." Jay replied. "There's no wrong or right way. It just takes some time to figure the best one depending on who you work with and who you are as a person. You gotta attune yourself to their energy and then fine tune it all to your own."

"Why are you entrusting me with all of this? You're gambling your ticket back in on me, why is that?"

"Because you're frickin talented man. So what if you centering didn't work out? We're both here. And it's no more your fault than it is mine. Would Heesung have done better? Who the fuck knows for sure? You pulled your weight and clearly, you care enough to let that guilt eat up at you. You have the sense of responsibilities Niki." He pauses, loudly exhaling through his nose before continuing: "Which, are shared by the way. The team's failure isn't just on you. And, no offense but I personally like to believe that my success, depends more on my capacities than on you leading the repetitions. Your mission isn't to bring the best out of all of us. You can't. We have to put in the work ourselves. And be grateful that you'll help pointing out the flaws. I'll help too, you know. More, I'll help more. Once I've slept. I'll stand by you."

Fresh tears well in the younger male's eyes as he fully pivots to press his head against Jay's chest in an awkward and unexpected embrace. The older male huffs a little, reeling at the unexpected contact but hugs his dongsaeng in return. "Thank you, hyung." And well, what else can Jay do but pat the kid's back?

Soon enough, a weight is added as Jake jump on Jay's back, yelling "GROUP HUG!" Daniel is next, squishing Niki's tiny body as the rest of the group runs to them, bags hastily dropped to the floor. Hanbin and Jimin are leading the running mob while Nicolas walks at the back, admiring that growing pile of nonsensically flailing limbs with genuine fondness. He couldn't even see their tiny leader at the center of it all. But he figured out one thing: _Apparently, they had all needed comfort._


End file.
